South African President Jacob Zuma is expected in Zimbabwe on Wednesday to mediate between warring political factions in Zimbabwe responsible for widening divisions and rising tensions.
Zuma will meet the leaders of the three leading political parties to press for political reforms and new elections under a recently completed draft constitution.
South Africa’s mediation efforts helped pave the way for the Global Political Agreement, which was agreed upon by the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) led by President Robert Mugabe and the then opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) led by the current Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
Analysts say the agreement, which led to the formation in February 2009 of the current power-sharing government, was intended to help diffuse the post-election impasse that threatened to bring the country to a standstill at the time.
South Africa has played the role of chief mediator since the violent and disputed elections of 2008, with President Zuma taking over from his predecessor Thabo Mbeki after taking over the presidency in 2009.
The agreement, which led to the formation in February 2009 of the current power-sharing government, aimed at helping diffuse post-election stalemate that threatened to bring the country to a standstill at the time.
The current government’s term of office is set to come to an end soon and fresh elections due to take place on a yet-to-be-specified date in the near future, little progress has been made on some of the most contentious issues.
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